Julian Edelman out for the season with ACL tear

The Patriots’ worst fears were confirmed Saturday following an MRI on wide receiver Julian Edelman’s right knee.

According to a league source, Edelman suffered a season-ending injury when his leg buckled after planting his foot on his third reception of Friday night’s exhibition game against the Lions in Detroit.

Multiple reports have the injury as an ACL tear, which will require surgery. Edelman was the Patriots’ leading receiver last season (98 catches, 1,106 yards) and has long been Tom Brady’s most-trusted weapon.

“Julian is a great competitor, works hard, he’s tough, does all the things that you ask him to do. I feel badly for him of course,” coach Bill Belichick said on Saturday afternoon. “We feel badly for Julian and hope that he will have a speedy and complete recovery, but yeah, the team will have to move on, and we’ll have to compete in this season without him. It’s unfortunate, but that’s the way it is, so we’ll have to figure that out.”